Chronic hepatitis B is a global health problem that affects nearly 240 million people and causes approximately one million deaths per year. For this reason, it is essential to find a treatment that can achieve a definitive cure for this disease. The drugs most commonly used to treat hepatitis B are tenofovir, entecavir, and pegylated interferon. Hepatitis B is considered functionally cured when the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) becomes negative and HBV DNA is undetectable. Unfortunately, this favorable response occurs in only 1–3% of patients treated with these drugs.
A study on a new drug for the treatment of hepatitis B, Bepirovirsen, has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It is an antisense DNA probe targeting HBV, which is capable of lowering HBsAg and reducing HBV DNA levels. A total of 1,838 patients were included in the study: 1,224 patients with hepatitis B treated with Bepirovirsen and 614 who received a placebo. At the start of the study, all patients were being treated with nucleotide or nucleoside analogs (entecavir, tenofovir, etc.) and remained on this treatment until week 48. During the first 24 weeks, Bepirovirsen or placebo was administered subcutaneously once a week.
Results of treatment with Bepirovirsen
It was found that 25% of patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with Bepirovirsen tested negative for HBsAg and HBV DNA, a result that was not observed in any of the patients who received a placebo. Regarding side effects, 53% of patients treated with Bepirovirsen experienced a local reaction at the injection site, compared to 14% in the group of patients who received a placebo.
In summary, Bepirovirsen is a new drug for the treatment of hepatitis B that substantially improves the chances of curing this disease. It is expected to be approved and become available later this year. Both Dr. Carreño and the foundation’s medical team consider these to be excellent results for the treatment of hepatitis B.
